Simple steps osteopaths can use to understand their patients pain.

Chronic pain steps in Liverpool

Pain is extremely complex and still to this day little is known about it. As a result we still have lots of people in pain showing no signs of improving despite the large amount of different types of therapists and medications available.

A key factor that is beginning to gather more pace is the role of communication with the patient from the therapist. In cases of chronic pain, its likely that the patient has seen many different therapists and had mixed responses and outcomes and been told different reasons as to what is causing their pain. Prior experiences, expectations and past history have a huge impact on their current pain status. At the initial stage its important for the therapist to try and get a real understanding of the patients thought process towards their pain, what their beliefs are, the experiences they have had in the past, their understanding of what is causing their pain. etc Looking at how the patient has got from where they were at the beginning of their symptoms to where they are now and whats happened along the way can really help to start to give them control back.

The next step is getting the patient from where they are when they come into the clinic to where they want to be in the future, their desired outcome. Instead of focusing on what they can’t do, the attention needs to focus on what they want to be able to do in the future. Working towards these outcomes can have a great effect with the patients confidence in how they hold themselves, how they feel within themselves, they could be presenting there self more positively. All these things can have a positive effect on how the patient feels towards their pain. These outcomes can be something as simple as being able to put their socks on pain free to returning to sport at the level they were at previously.

First contact with a patient is so important, having a conversation with the patient where you are showing compassion and a genuine need to understand their problem. This can help put the patient at ease and start to establish trust straight away.

About the author

Michael is an Osteopath, trainee strength coach and competitive power lifter.